screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Month: July 2013

The Motion Sick’s 3-year reunion

Poster by Nicole Anguish

Poster by Nicole Anguish

Ok, so it’s not like Boston’s own The Motion Sick has been gone for 20 years, and they’re coming back “Rip Van Winkle-like” into a different time. But it has been a little while (three years, in fact) since their last show, so they’re celebrating with a 4-song EP and an opening band line-up where each one features one of their members. So have a listen below and if you like what you here, go celebrate with them the The Brighton Music Hall tomorrow night (Saturday 7/13).


Brighton Music Hall – Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.
18+ | $12 | Facebook Event | ::: TICKETS :::
11:00 The Motion Sick
10:15 Parks (feat. Matthew Girard)
9:30 The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library (feat. MJE)
8:45 This Blue Heaven (feat. Travis Richter)
8:00 Wash Pool (feat. Patrick Mussari)

The Motion Sick: web | facebook | twitter | bandcamp – listen to all their music!

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Hey, it’s an awesome new song from The Chills!

photo swiped from SlicingUpEyeballs.com

photo swiped from SlicingUpEyeballs.com

So it seems the legendary New Zealand band The Chills have resurfaced after nine years with some new music. Their last release as The Chills was the Stand By EP (2004). To celebrate Martin Phillipps’ 50th birthday last week, it was announced that they’ve signed a deal with Fire Records, who will apparently be releasing several projects with the band. For now, however, most important thing is “Molten Gold,” their first single, which you can listen to below. Holy moly, is that a violin I hear along with the pretty guitar janglies? Love it!

web | facebook | twitter | Fire Records | wikipedia

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Outside The Box in Boston! (starts Saturday 6/13 – 9 days of FREE performances)

I wanted to commemorate a beautiful event that’s happening here in Boston starting on Saturday. Called Outside The Box, it’s a 9-day performing arts festival that will feature over 200 events throughout Boston Common and City Hall Plaza (and other places). Designed to bring together various neighborhoods, residents and artistic communities from the Boston area, this amazing festival is completely FREE. With theater, dance, performance art, puppets and music performances of all shapes and colors, there will be absolutely something for everybody. Here’s a few of the notable musical happenings that caught my eye. We’ll start with the first 3 days, and stay tuned for more.
::: MAP OF EVENTS :::

Saturday July 13

Alejandro Escovedo ~ 1-1:45pm ~ Boston Common: The Beacon
His new album Big Station (Fantasy/Concord) is out now.

web | facebook | twitter

Tallahassee ~ 7-8pm ~ Boston Common: The Commonwealth Stage
Their newest album is Old Ways
web | facebook | twitter

Sunday July 14

Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band ~ 4:30-6pm ~ Boston Common: The Commonwealth Stage
Boston’s favorite HONK!ers.
web | facebook | twitter

Monday July 15

Air Traffic Controller ~ 2-3pm ~ Boston Common: The Beacon
web | facebook | twitter

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56285016″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Outside The Box: web | facebook | twitter

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The Drowning Men roll in to Boston tonight! (JP)

The Drowning Men, from their Hartford, CT show w/Airborne in 2011

The Drowning Men, from their Hartford, CT show w/Airborne in 2011

Here’s some sweet music to commemorate a “family reunion” tonight — The Drowning Men are back in town, stopping off at Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain, as part of their current tour. Supporting them tonight will be Cradle to the Grave, The Old Edison and Alen of Dale. I first fell in love with The Drowning Men when they toured with The Airborne Toxic Event a few years ago. Their music is difficult to describe, but I’ll give it a shot: wayward sailors adrift on a treacherous sea with a musical maelstrom that blends gypsy Americana, Eastern European melodies, eerie otherworldly sounds, rollicking sea shanties and ferocious rock ‘n’ roll, underpinned by Nato Bardeen’s heartfelt and pleading “man grasping wildly at a small life raft” vocals. All Of The Unknown was released last year. Check it out. And meanwhile, a beautiful acoustic performance of a particular favorite of mine, “I Am the Beggar Man.”
::: BUY TICKETS :::

thank you “Lightning 100” for uploading this lovely tune.

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A cool convergence ~ Krief, The Grownup Noise, Modern Miracles of Science @ Cafe 939

GrownupNoiseCafe939Poster

Here’s a quick mention of some cool musicians who happen to be converging for a performance at Cafe 939 Saturday night. From Boston, it’s The Grownup Noise, who are busy at work on a new album and because of that, this will be their ONLY show this summer. So be sure to catch ’em. Opening that evening (8 pm) is a Montreal musician with a Boston connection, Krief (Patrick Krief, guitarist of The Dears). His show this evening is part of his summer tour to showcase his new album, “Hundred Thousand Pieces.” He’s worked quite a bit with well-known Boston band The Wandas, having recorded/produced a few of their albums, and playing shows with them as part of The Dears.


Rounding out the bill is New Jersey-based Miracles of Modern Science, and any band that involves a mandolin, cello, upright bass and fiddle and does a Daft Punk cover automatically gets blessings bestowed here. This looks to be a good one, folks.
Saturday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m. ::: facebook event ::: tickets :::

Krief

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/96743870″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Miracles of Modern Science

The Grownup Noise

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The Boston Calling Festival: Lucius and Big Black Delta

Lucius, photo by Peter Larson

Lucius, photo by Peter Larson

Big Black Delta

Big Black Delta


Continuing my plan to cover at least all the “non-headliners” for The Boston Calling Music Festival coming up September 7 & 8, here’s a little taste of Lucius (performing Saturday) and Big Black Delta (who are playing Sunday). I heard great things about the first Boston Calling festival, so this second one is definitely not to be missed. Especially not one that features bands like Boston’s You Won’t and Bearstronaut, Okkervil River, Deer Tick, Bat for Lashes, Major Lazer, Passion Pit, Local Natives… oh yeah, and The Airborne Toxic Event.

Lucius — is a fairly new Brooklyn-based quintet (just started last year), recently signed to Mom & Pop Music. It features the dual vocals of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, and the dual guitars of Peter Lalish and Andrew Burri.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/92029636″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Big Black Delta is the solo project of vocalist and bassist Jonathan Bates (Mellowdrone). He’s collaborated with several artists including Morgan Kibby, War Widow and Alessandro Cortini.

Get your tickets now for Boston Calling, as it’s liable to sell out just like the last one did.

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Endation, Schooltree, and The Burners @ Precinct 7/6

If one night of getting drunk and blowing shit up isn’t enough for you, Schooltree and friends invite you to continue the theme two days later this Saturday, July 6, at Precinct in Union Square, Somerville.

I can personally recommend Schooltree, and especially for those who miss the 1970s and the classic rock opera. They’re art rock cabaret and campy delight but absolutely heartfelt and genuine. This is a Broadway musical for the off-kilter and slightly deranged.

The Burners, hailing from Portland, Maine, will be bringing their fine gypsy Americana, which is a great way to celebrate American musical tradition. These guys seriously jam on guitar, violin, bass, harmonica and accordion. It’s serious “kick up your heels” music.

Headlining will be Endation, who describe themselves as “stripped down and raw, heavy with bombastic rhythms, a fusion of complex and simple while also melodic, serene and emotional.” Um… “melodic, serene and emotional”?? Seriously?? Ok, so maybe there’s a place in the cacophony where you will enter unexpectedly into a peaceful, trance-like state, but I probably wouldn’t recommend this band to someone looking for a tranquil string quartet. You’ve been warned.

Set times: The Burners – 9ish; Schooltree – 10ish; Endation – 11ish | Facebook event. Be careful out there, kids! And happy holiday weekend.

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Introducing… Son Gulien

So everyone, meet your next superstar, right here. Son Gulien. French refugee who now lives in Boston (god help him). He brings to our city a dose of quirky electro with a deliciously deviant “who the f*ck cares” punk irreverence and everything that was campy and wonderful about the 1980s. In this video directed by Son Gulien & Face B, the Frenchman takes us on an all-encompassing tour of the greater Boston area. Hang on, is that Revere Beach? You gotta be kidding me. He just released his “Black Russian EP,” which is available as a free download. Sorry, I can’t help it, I like this guy. Anyone who makes me instantly think of Yello’s “I Know” automatically earns their place in ‘musings.’ And perhaps their place in music history as well.


Son Gulien – Black Russian by SonGulien

web | soundcloud | bandcamp

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